City creating parking spots for Purple Heart recipients

TEMECULA  Recipients of a Purple Heart, a medal honoring those wounded or killed in combat that dates back to the Revolutionary War, will be allowed to park in specially designated spots at public parking lots in Temecula.

The City Council on Tuesday approved a plan brought forward by Councilman Chuck Washington to create reserved spots for Purple Heart recipients, which could turn into 10 spots in Old Town and 20 at other city lots.

Washington brought up the idea after it was suggested by U.S. Marine Cpl. Juan Dominguez, a triple-amputee injured during his service in Afghanistan who recently moved into a "smart home" built in Temecula by the Tunnel to Towers and Gary Sinise foundations.

On his travels, Dominguez saw similar reserved spots for wounded veterans and he thought it would be a good idea here.

In particular, he said during Tuesday's meeting, it would be great if the spaces were wider than normal to provide space for veterans who travel in vehicles with bulky lifts.

"My fellow brothers deserve something that's wide enough," he said.

The council voted 3-0 to approve the plan, with council members Jeff Comerchero and Ron Roberts absent, and they formally encouraged businesses, houses of worship and nonprofits to back the idea as well.

"I think it's a great idea," said Councilwoman Maryann Edwards, who said she would look into buying a sign to put up at her church.

The new spots would be in addition to the blue spaces already set aside under the Americans with Disabilities Act and would not affect those existing stalls, said Public Works Director Greg Butler.

He said the new spaces would not necessarily be legally enforceable, but would exist in much the same way signs on private lots designate certain spaces for expectant mothers or folks picking up take-out orders.

The project will cost about $5,400 — which will cover the signs, posts and fasteners — plus there will be a cost of having the signs installed by city staff members. The city also will make the signs available for purchase for businesses and the owners of private lots.

Washington said he's confident the residents of Temecula will support the program, even though the signs may not be legally enforceable.

"It's an honor," he said. "I think this community will respect that cause."

The state of California offers both a Purple Heart license plate for Purple Heart recipients and a Disabled Veteran plate. In cases where a Purple Heart recipient qualifies as a disabled veteran, the recipient can apply for a placard that allows them to park everyone allowed by those with Disabled Veteran plates: blue spaces for persons with disabilities, next to green curbs for as long as they wish and in on-street metered parking spaces for no charge.

To qualify for a Disabled Veterans plate, an applicant must be permanently blind, have a disability rated at 100 percent, have lost, or lost the use of, one or more limbs or have a disability so severe they are unable to move without an assistive device.